Ovie Muntean
COO/Chief Advancement Officer
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
- President, First Financial Mountain, Portland, OR: 2005 – present
- President, Mountain View Properties, Portland, OR: 2011 – present
- Owner & Operator, Splash of Destiny Limousine Service, Portland, OR: 1999 – 2011
- Vice President and Co-owner, First Fidelity Mortgage, Beaverton, OR: 1998 – 2008
SPEAKING - HEADLINE AND KEYNOTES
- 11/2021
Freemont County Republican Party, Riverton, WY - 08/2021
Camp Rockfish, Raeford, NC - 07/2021
Washakie County Republicans Lincoln Day Dinner, Worland, WY - 05/2021
National Federation of Republican Womens’ Convention, Bastrop, TX - 07/2019
Wyoming Republican Party Celebration, Cody, WY
Born and raised in Transylvania, Romania, Ovie Muntean grew up under the brutal socialist-communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaucescu. For millions of Romanians like Ovie, life during this time meant strict government control over almost every aspect of everyday life. Media and all sources of information were controlled and severely limited. The freedom to speak one's mind without fear of censorship and reprisal or to choose one's job or career path did not exist. The socialist-communist authoritarian government dictated where you could go, what you learned, how much food you would receive, and what basic resources you could access.
When Ovie was 15, his father, John Muntean, staged a public hunger strike. After 27 days, the government forcibly relented, and over 50 members of John’s family were allowed to leave the Socialist-Communist Republic of Romania. John's hunger strike and protest was the Romanian equivalent of "the shot heard around the world" of 1776. Millions of Romanians would follow suit over the next several years, escaping the oppressive regime.
Ovie and his family settled in Orange County, California, thanks to sponsorship from a local church. After working several odd jobs and stints at auto body shops, Ovie and his father opened their own business repairing auto upholstery. Building a family business taught Ovie a great deal about free enterprise, capitalism, fiscal responsibility, and core American values: honesty, integrity, a strong work ethic, and especially the opportunities afforded by freedom.
After years of hard work and savings, Ovie developed several successful real estate investments. In 1991, Ovie’s family relocated to Oregon, where he launched a private mortgage company. In the spirit of helping others, Ovie leveraged his personal capital to secure mortgages for families who were legally immigrating to the United States. Since 2005, he has helped hundreds of families begin their journey in America.
Ovie met the founder and CEO of Northwest Battle Buddies (NWBB), Shannon Walker, at their church and they quickly bonded over their shared love for God, Family, and Country. Their mutual passion for serving
U.S. military Veterans fueled the growth of NWBB, an organization dedicated to honoring American Heroes battling mental health disabilities. As the chief operating officer of NWBB, Ovie is involved in various facets of the organization, including overseeing development and advancement activities. In addition to securing resources for the service dog program, he maintains and fosters relationships with community partners who play a crucial role in the off-site training and instruction programs.
Today, Ovie Muntean is the proud father of three children, two of whom served in the U.S. Marines and
U.S. Air Force, respectively. Ovie loves America and is raising his children and grandchildren to understand the value and price of freedom. He is honored to be serving our Veterans, empowering them to lead healthy and meaningful lives with the help of a Service Dog.